The Shawl, By Cynthia Ozick - 1319 Words

Between 1941 and 1945, over six million Jews were victims of the Holocaust, an attempt by the German Nazis to exterminate the Jewish race. (Holocaust â€Å"The Basics†). Adolf Hitler, the leader of Germany, thought the Jews were the reason that Germany lost World War I (Jews in Nazi Germany- History Learning Site). Hitler blamed them for almost all of Germany’s problems and he wanted to exterminate the entire Jewish population. â€Å"The Shawl†, written by Cynthia Ozick, tells one of the many horrifying stories from the Holocaust. The story has three main characters: the young mother Rosa, her baby Magda, and her fourteen-year-old niece Stella. They were victims of the Holocaust who had an awful experience in the Nazi concentration camps. Whenever the holocaust victims had to march to different concentration camps, people who could not walk on their own in a line were shot on the spot, including infants. Rosa protects Magda by hiding her in a â€Å"magic shawl,à ¢â‚¬  but Stella selfishly takes away the shawl, leading to Magda’s death. Through the characters of Stella, Rosa, and Magda, Cynthia Ozick shows the desperation and inhumanity that resulted when the Holocaust victims were denied of their basic human rights. â€Å"The Shawl† is set late in World War II when the Allied forces were beginning to penetrate into Germany itself. During the Holocaust, the Nazis denied the Jews’ basic human rights, violating their rights to life, liberty, and property. Hitler said it was not enough for the Jews toShow MoreRelatedWhat Is The Theme Of The Shawl By Cynthia Ozick701 Words   |  3 Pagesand Loss of Humanity in Ozick’s â€Å"The Shawl† It is human nature to strive for comfort, to seek ease in a burdensome situation. When deprived of this sense of comfort, as demonstrated by Cynthia Ozick in â€Å"The Shawl†, it is through the suffering that ensues in which humanity is lost. This is made evident in her sparse writing style, the duality of the setting, and the use of illusionary symbolism. Ozick exhibits a degree of sparsity in the style of which â€Å"The Shawl† is written that mirrors the dehumanizingRead More Comparing the Use of Setting in The Shawl and The Portable Phonograph859 Words   |  4 PagesUse of Setting in The Shawl and The Portable Phonograph  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   In literature, setting is often used to enhance or develop characters, provide realism, and create a mood or atmosphere for a story (Roberts 256). Two short stories, The Shawl by Cynthia Ozick and Walter Van Tillburg Clark’s The Portable Phonograph explore victims of war in the vivid settings that the authors have created. Although both works are vague as to geographic setting and place in time, the authors’ detailedRead More Cynthia Ozick993 Words   |  4 PagesCynthia Ozick (1928 - †¦.) Cynthia Ozick was born in New York City on April 17, 1928. She was the second of two children. Her parents, Celia (Regelson) and Wiliam Ozick immigrated to the US from the northwest region of Russia. The family came from the Litvak (Lithuanian) Jewish tradition which was a tradition of skepticism, rationalism and antimysticism. Her parents owned a pharmacy in Pelham Bay section of Bronx. They worked very hard, usually fourteen hours a day. Cynthia delivered perscriptionsRead MoreMotherhood And Symbolism In Cynthia Ozicks The Shawl794 Words   |  4 Pagesholocaust are conveyed well in the short story â€Å"The Shawl† as the author, Cynthia Ozick illustrates the horrific battle of motherhood and strife for survival they faced. Rosa, Ozick’s main character experiences an internal battle of nurturing her infant Magda and following her motherly instincts or fighting for her own survival. Magda another crucial character grips onto the ropes of life through the threads of the shawl but when she loses her shawl she loses her life showing the harsh realities ofRead MoreLiterary Analysis : Blue Tigers By Cynthia Ozick1718 Words   |  7 PagesCynthia Ozick exploits figurative language in The Shawl to create a grim and surrealistic atmosphere representative of The Holocaust’s brutality and im pression of interminability. Though depicting The Holocaust– which is often recounted through biographical narratives–Ozick, uses abstract yet stirring metaphors when recounting her characters’ plight to attain emotional precision. From lines like â€Å"a walking cradle† when describing Rosa to â€Å"blue tigers† when describing Magda’s eyes, readers immediatelyRead MoreAccording to Arp and Johnson, â€Å"Literary fiction plunges us, through the author’s imaginative vision1200 Words   |  5 Pagesto Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, Cynthia Ozick wrote a brilliant short story The Shawl which also uses such great vision to feel like you’re in the story. As one reads the short story, it has such an effect on you the way that she brings you into this trance like if you’re in the Holocaust era with her from the very beginning, â€Å"STELLA, COLD, COLD, the coldness of hell† (696). The main character, Rosa hides her baby, Magda, from the Nazis for several months with this shawl that she loves so dearly. OneRead MoreThe And Of The Red And Black Ink By Gloria Atwood1381 Words   |  6 Pagesconvey their message is by presenting their own language into their writing.The use of language in writing creates and identity in the act or experience of writing. As it is shown in the text How it feels to be forcibly fed by Djuna Barnes, The Shawl by Cynthia Ozick, and Tlilli, Tlapalli/ The path of the Red and Black Ink by Gloria Anzaldua. In the text how it How It Feels to be forcibly fed by Djuna Barnes, is about the way a woman goes through the experience of women being fed forcibly in order forRead MoreEssay about The Function of the Shawl in Ozicks The Shawl1111 Words   |  5 PagesThe Function of the Shawl in Ozick’s â€Å"The Shawl† Suffering becomes a way of life for Magda, Stella and Rosa, as they struggle to survive during the Holocaust. During these trying times, some cling to ideals and dreams, while others find unusual vessels of hope – like the shawl – to perdure in their austere living conditions. Although the shawl becomes a source of conflict between Magda, Stella and Rosa in this narrative, it also serves as a pivotal force and a motivational factor. In Ozick’sRead MoreCynthia Ozick uses several symbolisms throughout the course of this compelling story of â€Å"The1300 Words   |  6 Pages Cynthia Ozick uses several symbolisms throughout the course of this compelling story of â€Å"The Shawl†. Ozick uses descriptive details to have interaction the reader. This use of symbolism is extremely vital to the story. Themes of survival, humanity, motherhood, tolerance, and prejudice course through the canvas of the vivid image the author tries to color for the readers. Th e author uses symbolism copiously to assist the reader envision the setting. Ozick uses several symbols and imaging as an exampleRead MoreA Short Story Usually Forms A Conflict Or Multiple Conflicts894 Words   |  4 Pagescan help the readers to see the symbolism. When the readers pay attention, and analyze the stories can give them opinions while discussing to other people. In â€Å"Everyday Use† by Alice Walker, â€Å"A Rose for Emily† by William Faulkner, and â€Å"The Shawl† by Cynthia Ozick, show symbolism in each story. In the story â€Å"Everyday Use†, Momma is a strong-willed woman, with strong hands. Momma has two daughters; Dee is the oldest and Maggie is the youngest. The two daughters struggle with their identities and their